Stanley No. 14 Framing Square

I found this old framing square in my grandparent’s house last year, brought it home, cleaned it, hung it up and thought nothing of it.

In the past year, I’ve taken a few carpentry classes (framing, not woodworking), and become more curious about this square. I’ve noticed that aside from it’s shape, it’s nothing like the ones I’ve been using in class.

It does not have rafter tables, decimal-fraction conversions, or different scales on it. All it has is the inch markings, scaled in 16ths, and Essex Board measure tables. It’s a No. 14, Made in USA, and solid steel.

Anyone know anything about this? How old would this be? Why the Essex board feet table, but no rafter tables?

I found a book online called “How to Use the Stanley Rafter Square,” published in 1949, but this shows the Stanley R100, which has different scales, rafter tables, brace measures, octagon scales, and the Essex board measure table.

I found nothing about this on google; I believe people care more about old planes and saws than they do old rafter squares, but hopefully someone here knows!

Nice grab. I have a couple of old ones but I’m pretty sure they have rafter tables on them . One may not. All the carpenters I have known never used or needed the tables anyway. The eight scale was a little more usefull on these squares. Yours is likely worn beyond recognition though.

I have a real reverence for the framing square as I made my living with one in the early days. Enjoy ! JB

The handbook lists the squares Stanley had available in ‘49. It has the No. 14 listed along with its measurements and that it is polished (as opposed to blued, aluminum, stainless, or royal copper) and has Essex board measure tables on it.

According to Walter’s book – the #14 framing square was made from 1911-1974, was polished or blued, and came in two versions – yours, without the tables and the R14 that had the tables. Size 24×16 to 24×18.

Dallas- google, again, returned barely anything about scalers rules. I can gather that it has to deal with estimating or finding board feet of a log during the milling process.

cabmaker- yeah this is a pretty cool find, I just have a soft spot for old, strong tools. Of course, a framing square is not a striking or cutting tool, but this thing just feels durable. It does have a slight bend in the blade and still some rust and dings in it, but is still good for a straightedge, checking square, and layout of rafters and stairs.

I’m just really curious about the purpose of this. Dallas is probably right, it could be intended more for milling rather than framing.

JustJoe- Thanks for that. I sent this question to Stanley, too; I’ll let you all know if/when I get a reply.

First thing I learned way back in high school was that a framing square could solve most difficult geometry problems pronto. I was hooked ! I’m a math-loving engineer, and the people who invented these fine calculating tools two centuries before the microchip have my utmost respect. Plus they look so cool !